On May 4, 2004, the first-ever Bhutanese Ambassador to Canada, H.E. Daw Penjo, presented his credentials to the Governor General at Rideau Hall. This ceremony marked the culmination of a process started in June 2003, when Canada and Bhutan formally agreed to enter into diplomatic relations. Canada is the first country in the Americas with which Bhutan has diplomatic relations. In fact, Bhutan has diplomatic relations with only 22 countries world-wide, the majority of which are in South and Southeast Asia.

Bhutan, a small and mountainous kingdom between China and eastern India, has long been considered one of the remotest countries on the planet. It remains little-known and rarely visited.

Bhutan&#39;s special appreciation of Canada began in the early-1960&#39;s when a Canadian Jesuit was invited to help create a secondary school system. This special relationship was subsequently reinforced through the assistance given to the Bhutanese government by Maurice Strong as they sought to ease themselves into the international arena.

Ambassador Penjo will reside in New York, where he is also the head of mission for Bhutan&#39;s permanent mission to the United Nations.

Bhutan's king in India for talks amid warming ties between neighbours.

Bhutan's King Jigme Singye Wangchuk arrived in New Delhi for a four-day state visit, his second trip this year to India, amid warming ties between the neighbours. India's foreign secretary, Shyam Saran, was at the airport on Monday to greet the monarch who paid a six-day visit to India in January.

Relations between the nations have strengthened since Bhutan staged a military operation in 2003 to turf out Indian separatist guerrilla groups based in the kingdom who were staging hit-and-run attacks on Indian targets.

The king was slated to hold wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to boost "bilateral cooperation in diversified fields" and meet cabinet ministers, a foreign ministry official said. India and the Himalayan kingdom signed a pact earlier this year to explore constructing a railway linking them and are keen to complete a 1,500-megawatt power project at Punatsangchu in Bhutan by the end of 2006.

The king announced the end of absolute monarchy with the publication earlier this year of a draft constitution to establish multi-party democracy by the end of 2005.

Singh was due to host an official dinner for the monarch during the visit, the Press Trust of India reportedLINK

The king of Bhutan says he will step down as ruler when the country holds its first national democratic elections in 2008, state media reported.

King Jigme Singye Wangchuck said he would be succeeded as leader of the remote Himalayan kingdom by his son, the crown prince. The king, who has ruled for 33 years, gave up absolute power in 1998. He currently rules in conjunction with the government, an assembly and a royal advisory council.

Prince of Butan, who will transform itself into King in 2008, initiated a campaign of "citizen seduction" that he included until the traditional "fight of pillows".

When Prince Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, 25 years, found out the last week that his father, King de Bután, would leave the throne in two years, began to cross the country for "connecting itself" with his subject futures. Without wasting time, the future King of this small and mountainous nation of the south of Asia, located between India and China, went towards the city of Unemployment where he participated in traditional celebrations, according to the local newspaper "Kuensel" informs.

It means that Bhutan will not be an absolute monarchy. As well as intending to abdicate in favour of his son, the King announced "I would like our people to know that the first national election to elect a government under a system of parliamentary democracy will take place in 2008." But he did not elaborate on what form the new government would take, nor did he say how much power the Palace would retain.source: Telegraph, London

It means that Bhutan will not be an absolute monarchy. As well as intending to abdicate in favour of his son, the King announced "I would like our people to know that the first national election to elect a government under a system of parliamentary democracy will take place in 2008." But he did not elaborate on what form the new government would take, nor did he say how much power the Palace would retain.source: Telegraph, London

The article says that crown prince could be prime minister in the democracy, nothing about to be the King.

If a King abdicates in favour of his son then the son will become King.
There is no suggestion in any other news reports I have read that the King is intending to abolish the Monarchy and dethrone his own dynasty.

The Queen of Bhutan Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangechuck (R) and her daughter Princess Ashi Sonam Dechan Wangchuck look on during a meeting with Sonia Gandhi, chief of India's Congress party, in New Delhi February 7, 2006

I'm a bit curious with the Crown Prince of Bhutan after seeing his pictures on his arrival to Bangkok on June 11, 2006.There's a profile from king of thailand's jubilee site) :

Quote:

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck of Bhutan will be in Bangkok on behalf of his father, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck. Aged 26, the Crown Prince of Bhutan is unmarried. He completed his studies in the Foreign Service Program from Oxford University, national defense from National Defense College in India, and innovations in governance from Kennedy School of Governance, the United States.

Crown Prince Jigme, who is now the president of the Royal University of Bhutan, has an active role in numerous cultural, educational, and economic organizations. He paid several private visits to Thailand, where he once visited the Royal Project in Chiang Mai. The King of Bhutan has announced his intention to abdicate in 2008, and then the Crown Prince will succeed to the throne.

(photo & text from 60celebrations.com)

he is 26 and will be king on 28. quite young, isn't it? and unmarried as well.. Here's a couple more old pictures of him :

The Crown Prince of Bhutan and the Sheikh of Kuwait were delighted to have attended the celebration of His Majesty the King's 60th anniversary on the throne, caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai said yesterday.

Surakiart, who was assigned by caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to organise events for the foreign royal members on Monday and Tuesday, visited the members of the Bhutanese and Kuwaiti royal families yesterday.

At 9.30am, Surakiart had an audience with His Royal Highness Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan at the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel and spoke with him for nearly an hour.

"The Crown Prince told me he had met with several other kings and queens in his lifetime, but his dream was to meet the King of Thailand because he had closely followed the work of HM the King. So this occasion has made his dream come true," Surakiart said.
He said bilateral relations between Thailand and Bhutan were at their best, adding he expressed Thailand's readiness to share its knowledge and expertise with Bhutanese officials in the fields of agriculture and industry. At the same time, Thailand is also interested in learning from Bhutan, especially its success in environmental conservation.